Hinge with quadrilateral swing joint and mounting plate therefor

ABSTRACT

A HINGE OF THE TYPE HAVING A PAIR OF PIVOT MEMBERS FORMING A QUADRILATERAL SWING JOINT. OPPOSITE END PORTIONS OF THE PIVOT MEMBERS ARE PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO A HOLDER MOUNTED UPON A DOOR AND A CARRIER ARM REMOVABLY MOUNTED IN A MOUNTING MEMBER FASTENED TO A CARRIER WALL. AN INNERMOST ONE OF THE PIVOT MEMBERS IS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE CARRIER ARM AT A POINT OVERLYING A FASTENING MEMBER SECURING THE MOUNTING PLATE TO THE CARRIER WALL. ADJUSTMENT MEANS PASS THROUGH THE CARRIER ARM IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT THE PIVOT POINT OF THE INNERMOST PIVOT MEMBER AND ENGAGES AGAINST THE MOUNTING PLATE. THE CARRIER ARM IS FURTHER CHARACTERIZED BY A SUBSTANTIALLY U-SHAPED CROSS SECTION FORMING A BASE PORTION INTERMEDIATE A PAIR OF SPACED LEG PORTIONS AND HAS A LONGITUDINALLY ELONGATED SLOT FORMED IN THE BASE PORTION FOR RECEIVING AN ATTACHMENT MEMBER COOPERATING WITH THE SLOT TO SPREAD THE LEGS INTO FIRM ENGAGEMENT WITH OPPOSED, CONFRONTING WALL PORTIONS OF THE MOUNTING PLATE.

K. LAUTENSCHLAGER. JR HINGE WITH QUADRILATERAL SWING JOINT AND MOUNTINGSept. 20, 1971 PLATE THEREFOR Filed March 11. 1969 l nreman- A ar/lawenscfi/a'yeq W flttl a.

United States Patent 3,605,173 Patented Sept. 20, 1971 3,605,173 HINGEWITH QUADRILATERAL SWING JOINT AND MOUNTING PLATE THEREFOR KarlLautenschliiger, Jr., Wersau, Odenwald, Germany,

assignor to Karl Lautenschltiger KG., Reinheim, Oden- Wald, GermanyFiled Mar. 11, 1969, Ser. No. 806,156 Claims priority, applicationGermany, Mar. 18, 1968, P 17 08 248.3 Int. Cl. Ed 3/06 US. Cl. 16-163 3Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A hinge of the type having a pair ofpivot members forming a quadrilateral swing joint. Opposite end portionsof the pivot members are pivotally connected to a holder mounted upon adoor and a carrier arm removably mounted in a mounting member fastenedto a carrier wall. An irmermost one of the pivot members is pivotallyconnected to the carrier arm at a point overlying a fastening membersecuring the mounting plate to the carrier wall. Adjustment means passthrough the carrier arm immediately adjacent the pivot point of theinnermost pivot member and engages against the mounting plate. Thecarrier arm is further characterized by a substan tially U-shaped crosssection forming a base portion intermediate a pair of spaced legportions and has a longitudinally elongated slot formed in the baseportion for receiving an attachment-member cooperating with the slot tospread the legs into firm engagement with opposed, confronting wallportions of the mounting plate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The present inventiongenerally relates to hinges wherein an articulated connection betweenimpacting parts includes a pair of pivot members forming a quadrilateralswing joint.

Description of the prior art Hinges having quadrilateral swing jointshave been proposed heretofore, but prior art devices have somedisadvantageous features. Hinges of this type are oftentimes utilizedfor mounting doors on various types of furniture.

To prevent damage and to facilitate shipping, furniture may be shippedin a knocked-down condition and assembled at a point of destination.Also, to assure proper fitting of the doors it has been found to beadvantageous to fit the various pieces of hardware, such as hinges,during manufacture of the furniture and subsequently disassemble thehardware prior to shipping. Prior art hinges of the quadrilateral swingjoint type generally have not been designed to facilitate the fittingand subsequent disassembly of the furniture.

Quadrilateral swing joint hinges generally include a holder secured tothe door, a carrier arm mounted on a carrier wall and a pair of pivotmembers having op posite end portions pivotally connected to the holderand the carrier arm. To assure stable fastening, the carrier arm shouldbe sufficiently long to provide spaced pivot points for the pivot arms,and also, the mounting base of the pivot arm must be sufficiently largeto accommodate spaced apart fastening means securing the carrier arm tothe carrier wall. To satisfy both of those requirements and provide astable hinge of the quadrilateral swing joint prior art devices havebeen relatively bulky.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A hinge constructed in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention generally includes a holder securedto a door, a carrier arm detachably mounted within a mounting plate,which in turn is securely fastened to a carrier wall, and a pair ofpivot arms or members having opposite end portions pivotally connectedto the holder and the carrier arm. The pivot arms or members aredisposed in a stacked arrangement providing an inner pivot arm and anouter pivot arm arranged to provide a quadrilateral swing motion.

The carrier arm of the present invention is characterized by a generallyU-shaped cross section providing a medial or base portion and a pair ofoutwardly extending leg portions spaced apart a sufficient distance toreceive the pivot arms. The mounting plate comprises an elongated memberhaving a substantially channel shape in cross section providing a pairof confronting wall portions. A pair of flat-head wood screws passingthrough countersunk apertures in the mounting plate and engaging intothe carrier wall, thereby to secure the mounting plate to the carrierwall and provide a flush bottom wall surface for the mounting plate. Thecarrier arm is fitted into the channel portion of the mounting platewith portions of the legs abutting the confronting wall portions of themounting plate.

' Also, the carrier arm has an elongated slot formed in the base portionand having longitudinal sidewalls cooperating with a frusto-conicalsurface formed on an attachment member to urge the leg portions of thecarrier arm into firm engagement with the mounting plate. With thecarrier arm detachably mounted to a separate mounting plate it ispossible to form the mounting plate with one of the apertures receivingthe fastening screws immediately subjacent a pivot pin pivotallyconnecting the inner pivot to the carrier arm. Thus, the presentinvention provides a mounting means sufiiciently long to provide a pairof spaced "apart fastening points without being excessively bulky.

An aperture is formed in the base. portion of the carrier arm andreceives an adjustment screw which engages against the mounting plate,thereby providing adjustment of the carrier arm relative to the carrierwall. The aperture receiving the adjustment screw may be formedimmediately adjacent a pivot pin pivotally mounting the inner pivot armor lever to the carrier arm.

To enhance the appearance of the hinge and to compensate for variationsin the mounting plate, a plastic shroud member having a substantiallychannel shape in transverse cross section encloses the mounting plateand has portions extending intermediate the mounting plate and thecarrier wall.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawing forming apart of this specification and in which like reference characters areemployed to designate like parts throughout the same:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross section illustrating a hinge embodyingthe features of the present invention and shown in an open position; and

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken approximately along line II--II of FIG.1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawing, ahinge constructed in accordance with the present invention generallyincludes a holder or pot 3 mounted on a door 1, a carrier arm 4detachably mounted to a carrier wall 2, and a pair of pivot members orlevers disposed in a stacked arrangement providing an outer member 6 andan inner member 7 each having opposite end portions pivotally connectedto the holder 3 and the carrier arm 4. The pivot members 6 and 7 arepivotally connected and arranged in a manner to provide a quadrilateralswing joint.

The holder or pot 3 has a cup-like configuration and is secured within adepression or recess 8 formed in the door 1. A pair of pivot pins 12 and13 having opposite end portions mounted in opposed walls of the holder 3ivot- .ally connect one end portion of each of the pivot members 6 and 7to the holder. To provide the proper swing motion, the pivot pins 12 and13 are arranged along a line A tilted upwardly at an angle alpha from aninner surface 14 of the door 1.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the carrier arm 4 has a generally U-shapedcross section providing a base or medial portion 17 and a pair ofspaced-apart, outwardly extending leg portions 18, 18. The pivot members6 and 7 are received intermediate the leg portions 18, 18 and the legportions may be laterally bulged as at 19 to permit the outer pivotmember 6 to be formed with a greater width than that of the inter pivotmember 7.

To pivotally connect the pivot members or levers 6 and 7 to the carrierarm 4, a pair of pivot pins 21 and 22 are provided and extend betweenthe leg portions 18, 18 of the carrier arm. The pivot pins 21 and 22 aredisposed along a line B tilted upwardly at an angle beta from an innersurface 23 of the carrier wall 2, thereby to mount the pivot arms 6 and7 in the proper arrangement to provide the desired quardilateral swingmotion. Also, each end portion of the pivot members 6 and 7 is formed ina reverse bend as at 24 forming a substantially cylindrical bearingsurface pivotally engaging the pivot pins 12 and 13 of the holder 3 andthe pivot pins 21 and 22 of the carrier arm 4.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, a mountingplate 16 is securely fastened to the carrier wall 2 and arranged todetachably mount the carrier arm 4, thereby permitting the hinge to befitted during manufacture and subsequently disassembled for shippingwithout disturbing the fitted relationship between the door 1 and thecarrier wall 2 when the hinge is later assembled at a point ofdestination. The mounting plate 16 has a generally channel-shapedconfiguration in transverse cross section and includes a pair ofconfronting wall surfaces 25, 25 interconnected by a bottom wall 26 andspaced apart a distance to fittingly receive the carrier arm 4. Meansdetachably mounting the carrier arm 4 to the mounting plate 16 includean elongated slot 27 formed centrally within the base portion 17 of thecarrier arm and characterized by outwardly flared, longitudinalsidewalls as at 28 forming a pain of tapered wall portions as as 29, andan attachment screw 31 received within the elongated slot 27 and engagedinto a threaded aperture 33 formed in the mounting plate 16. Theattachment screw has a frusto-conical head portion 32 and the taperedwall surfaces 29 are formed complementary to the frusta-conical headportion. Thus, as the attachment screw 31 is threaded in firm engagementwith the slot 27, the frustoconical head portion 32, laterally urges theleg portions 18 of the carrier arm 4 in opposite directions and intofirm clamping engagement with the confronting wall surfaces 26 of themounting plate 16, thereby enabling secure attachment of the carrier armto the mounting plate with only a single attachment bolt.

To provide proper stability for the hinge, the mounting plate 16 isfastened to the carrier wall 2 by a pair of spaced apart fasteners, suchas wood screws 33 and 34. To obtain the maximum stability in a limitedspace, the fasteners are spaced as far apart as the available space willpermit. Also, the total length of the mounting plate 16, and the carrierarm 4 should be maintained at a minimum to provide a compact hingeconsuming a minimum of space within a cabinet.

With the arrangement of the present invention including the mountingplates 16 and the detachably mounted carrier arm 4, the forwardmostfastener 33 may be disposed immediately subjacent the pivot pin 22supporting one end portion of the inner pivot lever 7. To maintain thebottom wall 25 flush or planar, the fasteners 33 and 34 desirablyinclude flat-head wood screws received within countersunk apertures asat 36 formed in the bottom wall of the mounting plate 16. The fasteners33 and 34 are threaded into the carrier wall 2 in a manner to securelyhold the mounting plate in position.

If desired, the placement of the fastening screws permits the mountingplate 16 to be positioned flush with a marginal end edge of the carrierwall 2. Also, the mounting plate 16 may be of symmetrical design,thereby enabling the carrier arm 4 to be mounted from either direction.

To compensate for manufacturing variations in both the carrier wall 2and the mounting plate 16 and to enhance the aesthetic appearance of themounting plate, a plastic shroud member 36 encircles the mounting plate16. The shroud member 36 has a generally channel shape in transversecross section and includes outwardly projecting sidewalls 37 extendingalong opposite edges of the mounting plate and characterized by offsetportions as at 38 engaging around outer corners of the mounting plate,thereby securing the shroud member in a desired position. A recess as at39 is formed around a perimeter of a lower edge of the mounting plate 16to receive bottom wall portions as at 41 of the shroud member 36. Thebottom wall portions 41 form a longitudinally elongated slot 42 alongthe shroud member 36 to receive a central projection 40 of the mountingplate 16 formed by the recesses 39. As the fasteners 33 and 34 arethreaded into the carrier wall 2, the bottom wall portions 41 of theshroud member 36 are squeezed between the mounting plate 16 and thecarrier wall 2, thereby providing a resilient washer or gasket enablingthe wood screws 33 and 34 to be firmly tightened in a manner preventingloosening of these screws due to vibrations.

Furthermore, in accordance with the principles of the present invention,an adjustment screw 43 is provided for adjusting the position of thecarrier arm 4 inwardly and outwardly of the carrier wall 2. Thecompactness of the hinge of the present invention is maintained bypositioning the adjustment screw 43 immediately adjacent the pivot pin22 pivotally mounting the inner pivot member 7. The adjustment screw 43threadedly engages an aperture 44 formed in the base or medial portion17 of the carrier arm 33 and abuts against a portion of the bottom wall25 of the mounting plate 16. As illustrated in FIG. 1, a lower endportion of the adjustment screw 43 abuts against an upper surface of thefiat-head wood screw 33, which forms a portion of the flush bottom Wall25 of the mounting plate 16.

To assure the proper quadrilateral swing motion of the hinge, distancesbetween the four points of articulation as defined by the pivot pins 12,13, 21 and 22 and their angular relationship must be maintained at anappropriately selected ratio and angles. Hinges of various sizes may beprovided by proportionally increasing or decreasing the distancesbetween the articulation points as long as the proper ratio ismaintained.

In one example of the present invention the following dimensions wereprovided:

(1) Effective length of the pivot lever 6, i.e. distance betweenarticulation points defined by the pivot pins 12 and 21: 17.1 mm.

(2) Effective length of the pivot lever 7, i.e. distance betweenarticulation points defined by pivot pins 13 and 22: 17.9 mm.

(3) Distance between articulation points within the hinge holder, i.e.distance between pins 12 and 13: 8.1 mm.

(4) Distance between articulation points in the carrier arm, i.e.distance between pivot pins 21 and 22: 15.3 mm.

Thus, the effective length of the inner pivot lever 7 has a relation tothat of the outer pivot lever 6, to the distance between thearticulation points within the carrier arm, and to the distance betweenthe articulation points within the holder or hinge pot approximately of18: 17: 15: 8. Furthermore, if the pivoting pins or shafts 22 and 13 arepositioned to lie in a plane approximately parallel with the plane ofthe door and that of the carrier wall when the hinge is in an openposition, the above-mentioned dimensional relationship results in theangle alpha being equal to approximately 38 and the angle beta beingapproximately 32.

Although minor modifications might be suggested by those versed in theart, it should be understood that I wish to embody within the scope ofthe patent warranted hereon all such modifications as reasonably andproperly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.

I claim as my invention:

1. A hinge of the quadrilateral swing joint type for mounting a door toa carrier wall comprising:

a holder secured to a door;

a mounting plate fastened to a carrier wall for said door;

a carrier arm detachably carried by said mounting plate and having anoutwardly opened, generally U-shaped transverse cross section forming abase portion abutting said mounting plate and a pair of leg portionsextending outwardly of said base portion;

a first pair of spaced apart pivot pins secured within said holder;

a second pair of spaced apart pivot pins secured within said carrier armand extending between said leg portions with a lower one of said pivotpins being disposed above said carrier base portion;

a pair of pivot levers interconnecting said holder and said carrier armand having bearing surfaces formed at opposite end portions thereof andpivotally engaging said pairs of pivot pins in a manner to form aquadrilateral swing joint; and

means fastening said mounting plate to a carrier wall and including atleast a pair of spaced apart fastening members disposed on a common lineextending inwardly from an edge of the carrier wall and with the one ofsaid members disposed nearer the carrier wall edge being positionedimmediately subjacent said lower one of said second pair of pivot pins.

2. A furniture hinge as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by:

shroud means encircling said mounting plate and including an elongatedmember composed of resilient material and having a substantiallyU-shaped transverse cross section forming a pair of side portionsextending along side surfaces of said mounting plate; and

said mounting plate having a recess formed around a perimeter of a wallsurface thereof formed adjacent a carrier wall for receiving bottom wallportions of said shroud means in a manner to form a resilient gasketintermediate said mounting plate and the carrier wall.

3. A furniture hinge as defined in claim 2 and further characterized bysaid side wall portions of said shroud means having inwardly offsetportions formed along: an upper marginal edge thereof and extendingalong an upper surface of said mounting plate.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,224,035 12/1965 Heinze 16-163FOREIGN PATENTS 1,496,413 10/1967 France.

441,036 1/ 1968 Switzerland. 248,280 6/ 1966 Austria.

BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner D. L. TROUTMAN, Assistant Examiner US.Cl. X.R. 16-164

